Using songs in the classroom Submitted by TE Editor on 30 March, 2011 - 08:46 This is from a song workshop I gave some

time ago. Take care with the copyright! Songs can be exploited in many ways: 1: The Cloze or gap fill. This is the most familiar and popular activity, and for that reason is probably overused. However, there are many important things to bear in mind when using them, and there are many different ways to use them.

Have a point, be it vocabulary or prepositions or whatever. Don't cloze 3 or more in a row. For lower levels: give the first letter, miss out word endings, give dashes for letters, or give a glossary. Give vocabulary clues or synonyms for the missing words. Get students to work in pairs to predict words before you play the tape. Insert extra words which students then cross out as they listen. Change the words, as in "Careful Shouts" or "Countless Whiskies." Cloze unstressed, then stressed words in the same song, and have students discuss why one is easier than the other. Cloze several words in a row and Ss have to guess not only form (adj., adv., n., vb, prep.) but words, rhythm and rhyme.

2: A-B activities. Students match beginnings and ends of lines, such as ."Another Day in Paradise" (simple) or "Private Investigations" & "If Only..." (more complicated). 3: Mixed-up activities. Generally, have the lines of the song on separate strips of paper

Students put down strips as they hear them. Mixed-up lines/verses. Students try to organize in advance (use prompts).

4: Dictation

Wall dictation Self-dictation (whole song blanked) Part Dictation

5: Translation.

Class chooses a song from their own language. Groups translate. Check with other groups. Combine the best. Then work on rhyme and rhythm.

6: Jigsaw-listening.

Groups listen to different songs with the same (Luka/Behind the Wall) or different themes (Easy Street/Money for Nothing) and peer teach vocabulary, compare.

7: Composing Listen to the song

Students add verses of their own. Good songs for this are, "Imagine" & "Man Gave Names To All The Animals" by Bob Dylan. Students finish the line in each verse, then listen to check. In groups, students then write their own verse.

8: Writing. Put random words from the song on the board. Students try and write the "tale of the song."

Students paraphrase the song Cut the song in half. Students predict the other half.

9: Pronunciation.

He's got the whole world... /h/ sound Do I speak double Dutch to a real double duchess... /d/ sound

10: Vocabulary

Miming verbs

Dictionary work Matching

11: Listening.

Give Ss word list. Ss number as they hear them. Sound discrimination, e.g. tempted/tended

12: Song Posters Arrange lyrics and pictures, or just lyrics, or translate.

Example structure: When I look into the future There 's/are There 's/are... There 's/are But there isn't/aren't any

On a more personal note, the future could be explored through the senses. You could use this example as a model to elicit ideas from your students. Play some relaxing background music and ask them to close their eyes and imagine the sensations as they think of different words. Example: My / The future is (yellow) It tastes like (pasta) It smells like (a lemon) It sounds like (a mandolin) It feels like (a cat) It looks like (the sunrise)

Ask your child/students to complete the sentences below to generate ideas for a poem about their own future dreams. Here are two possible structures for their poems: In my future life I might I could I may..

But I'll definitely In my future life I'd like to be I'd like to... And Then Please Here's a poem on a lighter note as an example of what they could produce.

In my future life I'd like to be a cat, I'd like to sleep for 12 hours Then dance around my flat. I'd like to play by moonlight And sunbathe in the sun, I'd like to climb a palm tree And catch my tail for fun. I'd like to dine on fresh fish Then drink a sea of milk, I'd like to live-that's my last wish Please ban all dogs from Earth!